Safeguarding children and child protection Policy statement Our setting will work with children, parents and the community to ensure the rights and safety of children and to give them the very best start in life Procedures ABC Nursery School is committed to building a ‘culture of safety’ in which children are protected from abuse and harm in all areas of its service delivery Staff and volunteers • Our designated person, who co-ordinates child protection issues is: June Francisco, Manager Mobile:07774 862 446 • Our designated person who oversees this work is: Jacqui Day, Director, 01246 475327 • We ensure all staff and parents are made aware of our safeguarding policies and procedures • We provide adequate and appropriate staffing resources to meet the needs of children • Applicants for posts within the setting are clearly informed that the positions are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 • Candidates are informed of the need to carry out ‘enhanced disclosure’ checks with the Disclosure and Barring service before posts can be confirmed • Where applications are rejected because of information that has been disclosed, applicants have the right to know and to challenge incorrect information • We abide by Ofsted requirements in respect of references and Criminal Records Bureau checks for staff and volunteers, to ensure that no disqualified person or unsuitable person works at the setting or has access to children • Volunteers do not work unsupervised • We abide by the Protection of Vulnerable Groups Act requirements in respect of any person who is dismissed from our employment, or resigns in circumstances that would otherwise have lead to dismissal for child protection concerns • We have procedures for recording the details of visitors to the setting • We have security steps to ensure that we control who comes into the setting so that no unauthorised person has unsupervised access to the children • ABC Nursery School is committed to responding promptly and appropriately to all incidents or concerns of abuse that may occur and to work with statutory agencies in accordance with the procedures that are set down in ‘What to do if you’re worried a child is being abused’. (HMG 2006) Responding to suspicions of abuse • We acknowledge that abuse of children can take different forms – physical, emotional, and sexual, as well as neglect • When children are suffering from physical, sexual or emotional abuse, or may be experiencing neglect, this may be demonstrated through the things they say (direct or indirect disclosure), or through changes in their appearance, changes in their behaviour, or their play • Where such evidence is apparent, the child’s key person makes a dated record of the details of the concern and discusses what to do with the Manager who is the ‘designated person’ The information is stored in the appropriate file We refer concerns to the Local Authority Children’s Social Care Department - Starting Point and co-operate fully in any subsequent investigation. In some cases this may mean the police of another agency identified by the Local Safeguarding Children's Board We take care not to influence the outcome either through the way we speak to children or by asking questions of children Recording suspicions of abuse and disclosures Where a child makes comments to a member of staff that gives cause for concern (disclosure), observes signs or signals that give cause for concern, such as changes in behaviour, deterioration in general well- being; unexplained bruising, marks or signs of possible abuse or neglect that member of staff: • Listens to the child, offers reassurance and gives assurance that she or he will take action • Does not question the child • Makes a written record that forms an objective record of the observation or disclosure that includes • The date and time of the observation and the disclosure • The exact works spoken by the child as far as possible • The name of the person to whom concern was reported, with date and time and • The names of any other person present at the time These records are signed and dated and kept in the child’s personal file which is kept securely and confidentially Making a referral to the Local Authority Social Care Team We follow the Derbyshire County Council’s procedures for making a referral to the local Social Care Team, All members of staff are familiar with the procedures for recording and reporting Informing Parents Parents are normally the first point of contact If suspicion of abuse is recorded, parents are informed at the same time as the report is made, except where the guidance of the Local Safeguarding Children Board does not allow this, this will usually be the case where the parent is the likely abuser. In these cases the investigating Officers will inform parents Liaison with other Agencies • We work within the Local Safeguarding Board guidelines • We have a copy of ‘What to do if you’re worried a child is being abused’ for parents and staff and all staff are familiar with what to do if they have concerns • We have procedures for contacting the Local Authority on child protection issues, including maintaining a list of names, addresses and telephone numbers of social workers, to ensure that it is easy, in any emergency, for the setting and Social Care to work well together • We notify the Registration Authority (Ofsted) of any incident or accident and any changes in our arrangements which may affect the well being of children • If a referral is to be made to the Local Authority Social Care Department, we act within the area’s Safeguarding Children and Child Protection guidance in deciding whether we must inform the child’s parents at the same time Allegations against Staff We ensure that all parents know how to complain about the behaviour or actions of staff or volunteers within our Nursery, which may include an allegation of abuse • We follow the guidance of the Local Authority when responding to any complaint that a member of staff, or volunteer within our Nursery, has abused a child • We respond to any disclosure by children or staff that abuse by a member of staff/Manager/volunteer within our Nursery, may have taken, or is taking place, by first recording the details of any such alleged incident • We refer any such complaint immediately to the Local Authority’s Social Care Department, to investigate. We also report any such alleged incident to Ofsted and what measures we have taken. We are aware that it is an offence not to do so • We co-operate entirely with any investigation carried out by Children’s Social Care in conjunction with the police • Where the Directors and Children’s Social Care agree it is appropriate in the circumstances, they will suspend the member of staff on full pay, or the volunteer, for the duration of the investigation. This is not an indication of admission that the alleged incident has taken place, but is to protect the staff as well as children and families throughout the process Disciplinary Action Where a member of staff or a volunteer is dismissed from the Nursery because of misconduct relating to a child, we notify the Independent Barring Board Administrators so that the name may be included on the Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults Barred List ABC Nursery School is committed to promoting awareness of child abuse issues throughout its training and learning programmes for adults. It is also committed to empowering young children, through its early childhood curriculum, promoting their right to be strong, resilient and listened to Training We seek out training opportunities for all adults involved in our Nursery to ensure that they are able to recognise the signs and signals of possible physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse and neglect and that they are aware of the Local Authority guidelines for making referrals We ensure that all staff know the procedures for reporting and recording their concerns in the Nursery Planning The layout of the rooms allows for constant supervision. No child is left alone with staff or volunteers in a one-to-one situation without being visible to others Curriculum We introduce key elements of keeping children safe into our programme to promote personal, social and emotional development of all children, so that they may grow to be strong, resilient and listened to and that they develop an understanding of why and how to keep safe We create within our Nursery a culture of value and respect for the individual, having positive regard for children’s heritage arising from their colour, ethnicity, languages spoken at home, cultural and social background We ensure that this is carried out in a way that is developmentally appropriate for the children Confidentiality All suspicions and investigations are kept confidential and shared only on a need to know basis. All information is shared under the guidance of the Local Safeguarding Children Board Support to families We believe in building trustworthy and supportive relationships with families, staff and volunteers in the Nursery We make clear to parents our role and responsibilities in relation to child protection, such as for the reporting of concerns, providing information, monitoring of the child and liaising at all times with the Local Children’s Social Care team We will continue to welcome the child and the family whilst investigations are being made in relation to any alleged abuse We follow the Child Protection Plan as set by the child’s Social Care worker in relation to the Nursery’s designated role and tasks supporting that child and their family, subsequent to any investigation. Confidential records are kept on a child are shared with the child’s parents or those who have parental responsibility for the child in accordance with the Confidentiality and Client Access to Records Procedure and only if appropriate under the guidance of the Local Children Board Legal Framework Children Act (1989 s47) Protection of Children Act (1999) Data Protection Act (1998) The Children Act (Every Child Matters) (2004) Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act (2006)